This is one Mean Old Lady!

This is one Mean Old Lady!
Self-portrait: 'Quilter on Fire'

Thursday, June 10, 2010

What is CoCo RAHS?


It's Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network -- a nationwide 'citizen-scientist' data collection system-- recording all types of precipitation. I forget just how I heard about this, but I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time, though I had to wait a few months for my state to join in. Here is an alluring shot of my heavy-duty 'professional grade' rain gauge. I mean, this baby means business!

I admit that there are people who look at you funny if you know the rainfall to 1/100th of an inch, but it's kind of fun. Last winter's major Christmas Eve storm gave me the opportunity to test the full capability of my equipment--more than 9" of rain was collected in the gauge in a single 24-hour period. A central cylinder fed by a funnel is marked in 100ths of an inch, and if more rain falls, the outer cylinder collects the excess.

The training, monthly newsletter, and various updates are all online, as is one's account for adding new data or editing reports-- (you know, in case you forgot to add information about flooding.) I'm not quite fanatical enough to run out and record hourly data during a storm, but the online form has a space for it.

Your state might be seeking more participants, you know. I think you can even get a discount on the rain gauge nowadays. Check out http://www.cocorahs.org and see if you aren't tempted.

Oh, BTW, yesterday evening's passing t'storm dropped 0.05" of rain.

1 comment:

  1. Just have to add: Thursday I broke down and watered some of my garden; the evening of June 10th to June 11th--we got 1.81" of rainfall. Badly needed!

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